The Ferris State University Athletics Department appointed
Steve Picucci as the school's men's and women's
cross country/track and field head coach on May 13, 2009.

A former Bulldog standout and Ferris alum, Picucci served as the
program's interim head coach in 2008-09 before moving into a
permanent role. He originally joined the track/cross country staff
as an assistant coach prior to the 2007-08 campaign and also served
in a game management role for the athletics department during his
time at FSU.

In an interim role his initial season, Picucci guided the
Bulldog women's cross country team to the program's first NCAA
National Championship appearance since 1987 and helped Tina Muir
become only the second women's cross country All-American in school
history. The Bulldogs also placed third overall in the 2008 NCAA-II
Midwest Regional Championships (Nov. 8) held on their own course at
Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids.

Picucci also helped tutor two track and field student-athletes
to indoor All-America status in senior Mikinzie Stuart and junior
Matt Jozwiak, who became only the second FSU men's track and field
athlete since 1993 to claim Division II All-America status at
either the indoor or outdoor national meets.

A four-year letterwinner in both cross country and men's track
at Ferris State, Picucci was selected by the FSU Athletics
Department as the 2002-03 recipient of the annual "Willie Bouyer
Leadership Award" for his strong inspirational leadership and
dedication to the program.

Picucci, who holds the distinction of being the first four-year
letterwinner in both men's cross country and track at Ferris State
since each program's reinstatement in 1999-00, earned All-Great
Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Men's Cross
Country Second-Team accolades in 2002. He registered conference
all-academic team accolades a combined 11 times during his career
in men's cross country along with indoor and outdoor track and
field. The three-time (1999-00 and 2002) FSU Men's Cross Country
team's Most Valuable Runner Award winner notched five top-15
finishes during the 2002 campaign, including a 14th-place showing
at the GLIAC Championships (10/26).

In track and field, Picucci compiled a personal career-best nine
top-eight track and field performances during his senior year in
2003. He was selected the Ferris Track and Field squad's 2002-03
Bulldog Award recipient after previously earning the distinction in
2000-01. The two-time (2001-03) track and field team captain placed
among the top 10 competitors in the distance events 16 times during
his FSU career.

A 2002-03 Verizon Academic All-District IV College Division
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country First-Team pick, Picucci
twice (9/6 and 9/27) was named the GLIAC Men's Cross Country Runner
of the Week in 2002 by virtue of claiming his first two individual
championships - the Northwood Invitational (9/6) and FSU's Bulldog
Invitational (9/27). The four-year (1999-03) team captain received
2001 NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association
All-Academic Team recognition and was Ferris State' s top finisher
in 20 of his 29 collegiate cross country races.

Behind the scenes, Picucci served as a member of FSU Athletics'
Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and coordinated the
team's elementary school reading program during his collegiate
career. He is a native of Brighton, Mich.